Vanity case



Marchl, 1936. w. T. PARKIN VANITY CASE Filed April 3Q, 1935 In verz '02; M2g'ed TPariz' A ttfys.

Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VANITY CASE Application April 30, 1935, Serial No. 18,987 11 Claims. (Cl. 132-82) This invention relates to powder containers such, for example, as vanity cases and like articles.

When loose powder is disposed in a vanity case or like article, there is a constant danger of it leaking out or being spilled if the cover of the case is accidentally opened, particularly in constructions wherein the latch is of the type having a finger piece located on the outside of the case where it may be accidentally operated when the case is carried on the person or in a handbag. In order to overcome these objectionable features the use of a screen or perforate plate over the powder compartment has been proposed, but in such constructions the screen or perforate plate merely prevents the powder from Wholly spilling out and does not prevent leaking or the accidental opening of the cover for the powder compartment.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a vanity case or like article having a powder compartment, a closure and `a catch therefor which are so designed that the closure will not be accidentally unlatched while the cover of the vanity case is closed; to provide a vanity case or like article having a safety catch which does not detract from the appearance of the case, and which is accessible only when the outer cover of the case is open; to provide a vanityl case having a leakproof construction which is compact and of pleasing and attractive appearance and which is so designed that the closure for the powder compartment may be easily and quickly manipulated; and to provide a vanity case which is of strong and durable construction, having but few parts, which is inexpensive .to manufacture and easy to assembl, and which can be sold at a relatively low cost.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vanity case constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the case with parts broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the case; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the catch and linger piece for the inner cover.

The embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises` a casing I which may be of any desired size and shape, here shown as being circular in plan view and having a conveX bottom wall 2 which is integral with its curved upstanding side wall 3. A hinge 4 supports an outer cover 5 which carries a downwardly curved tongue 6 engageable with a snap catch 'I, and, if desired, a mirror 3 may be built in or otherwise secured to the cover 5 in any suitable manner. The parts preferably are of sheet metal or other suitable material which may be easily shaped or worked and which is capable of receiving and retaining a good surface nish.

The upper edge or rim of the side wall 3 is provided with a gap or recess IU, here shown as a rectangular notch located in the upper part of the wall. Mounted within the case I is a powder tray I2 (Fig. 3) having a curved bottom wall E4 which rests on the bottom wall of the casing and an upstanding side wall which terminates in a shouldered. rim I5 having a peripheral ange I6 which engages the inner surface of the overhanging upper edge of the side Wall of the case, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thus rmly securing the tray within the casing. The hinge 4 preferably is secured to the upper edge of the ange I6, although it is to be understood that the hinge may be attached directly to the casing I.

The shouldered rim I5 is provided with an opening I8 (Fig. 3) and the flange I6 is provided with a recess or rectangular notch I9 on its upper edge, both the opening I8 and the notch I9 being in alignment with the recess I0 in the side wall of the casing. At a point diametrically opposite opening I8, the rim I5 is provided with a pair of spaced radial slits, and between these slits the rim is bent downwardly and the adjacent portions are bent upwardly so as to dene a pair of spaced hinge sockets (Fig. 1). At a point diametrically opposite the connection of hinge 4 and ange I6, a slot 2| (Fig. 1) is formed so as to provide an opening for the reception of the tongue 6 of the outer cover.

The inner cover or closure member is formed with a radially extending tongue which is bent, curled or otherwise shaped to provide a hinge socket 26 (Fig. 3) having an inwardly projecting integral extension which provides a retaining lip 2I. The parts are so proportioned that the socket 26 ts snugly between the sockets 20, and the lip 2'I overhangs the depressed body portion of the cover 25, thus providing means for holding an applicator pad (not shown) in position on the outer surface of the inner cover. A pintle 28 extends through the sockets 20 and 26 and thus provides a pivotal support for the cover 25. The tray I2 provides an inner compartment for the reception of powder and the cover 25 provides a bottom wall of an outer compartment between the inner and outer covers, the outer compartment being adapted to hold an applicator pad (not shown).

Where, as here shown, the tray I2 is designed to hold loose powder, the inner cover 25 may be provided with a seal or gasket and to this end a layer of compressible packing material 30 is clamped in place by means of a plate 3l which is secured to the body of the cover 25 by a rivet 32, as shown in Figs. -2 and 3f. When the cover 25 is in closed position (Fig. 2), the fibrous packing material is under sufcientcompression to provide a leakproof seal about the shouldered rim of the tray, and due to the resiliency of the packing material it tends to hold the cover in a partly open position, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.Y

In order to hold the inner cover in closed position releasable locking means are provided, and as here shown by way of illustration, such means comprises a locking member 33 (Fig. 6) formed from a single piece of sheet metal or like inherently resilient material. The locking member comprises a catch 35 integral with a finger piece 36 and a pair of resilient curved arms 3l and 38. The catch, finger piece and arms are so constructed and arranged that when assembled with the case and tray, the catch 35 projects through the opening I8 with its retaining lip overhanging the upright Wall of the tray so as to engage the edge of the cover 25, the finger piece 36 snugly fitting within the recesses I0 and I8 and the arms 31 and 38 engaging the inner curved surface of the upright wall of the case and holding the parts in locking position, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. The ends of the arms 31 and 38 preferably are rounded so that the entire locking member may pivot or rock evenly about the contacting surfaces of the ends of the arms and the inner wall of the case.

'I he shape of the iinger piece preferably is such as to conform to the contour of the outer surface of the caseand the inner surface of the flange I6, thus presenting the appearance of a substantially continuous surface. The finger piece, when thus assembled, constitutes in effect a part of the upright wall of both the case and the tray, which mayV be fiexed or depressed in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 3, so as to swing or rook the catch 35 away from the cover 25, thus releasing the catch and permitting the cover to swing open due to the force exerted thereon by the resilient packing material 30. The inner end of the catch Y35 is provided with the usual beveled surface so that the cover 25 may be snapped to closed position.

It will be noted that in the construction herein shown the inner cover is mounted to swing in the opposite direction from that of the outer cover, and the inner cover, when unlatched, 4is held in a partly open position, and, if open far enough, the outer cover can not be closed without rst closing and latching the inner cover. When both covers 5 and 25 are closed (Fig. 5), the rim of the outer cover 5 snugly fits Within the upper edge of the upright wall 3 of the case, and as the finger piece must be depressed or flexed in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 3 in order to unlatch the inner cover, it can -not be accidentally released so long as the outer cover remains closed. Hence it is necessary first to open the outer cover in order to have access to the finger piece. In event the outer cover` should accidentally become unlatched, there is no danger of the inner cover opening as the mere unlatching of the outer cover does not, of itself, release the inner cover.

It will be further noted that the parts are so arranged that the resilient arms 3l and 38 which normally hold the catch 35 in locking position are completely concealed between the tray and case, and as the exposed surface of the finger piece 36 conforms to the contour of the adjacent surfaces of the tray and case, it does not detract from the appearance of the ensemble.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of `illustration only and that variousY changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A casing comprising a hinged inner cover, a hinged outer cover, a catch for releasably locking the inner cover in closed position, and a finger piece for releasing the catch, said finger piece being exposed on the outside of the casingV but guarded by the outer cover against accidental operation while the outer cover is closed.

2. A casing comprising an inner compartment, a hinged inner cover closing the inner compartment, a hinged outer cover closing an outer compartment formed between the inner and outer covers, a catch for releasably locking the inner cover in closed position, and a finger piece for releasing the catch, said finger piece being exposed on the outside of the casing but guarded by the outer cover against accidental operation While the outer cover is closed.

3. A casi-ng comprising an upstanding side Wall which includes a movable section, an outer cover for closing an outer compartment defined by said side wall, an inner cover within the casing for closing an inner Lcompartment, and a catchl associated with and operated by said movable section for holding the inner cover in closed position, said movable section being partly exposed on the outside of the casing but guarded by the outer cover against accidental operation while the outer cover is closed.

4. -A casing comprising an upstanding side wall which includes a depressible section, an outer cover for closing an outer compartment dened by said side wall, an inner cover within the casing for closing an inner compartment, and a catch associated with and operated by said depressible section for holding the inner cover in closed position, said depressible section being partly exposed on the outside of the casing but guarded by the outer cover against accidental operation while the outer cover is closed. Y

5. A casing comprising an upstanding side Wall which includes va yielding section, lan outer cover for closing an outer compartment defined by said side wall, an inner cover within the casing for closing an inner compartment, and a catch associated with and operated by said yielding section for holding the innercover -in closed position, said yielding section being partly exposed on the outside of the casing but guarded by the outer cover against accidental operation while the outer cover is closed.

6. A casing comprising an upstanding side Wall having a gap therein, a finger piece in the gap constituting in eiect a continuation of the side wall, an outer cover for closing an outer compartment defined by said wall and finger piece, an inner cover within the casing for closing an inner compartment, and a releasable catch associated with and operated by said finger piece for holding the inner cover in closed position, said nger piece being exposed on the outside of the casing but guarded by the outer cover against accidental operation while the outer cover is closed.

7. An article of the class described comprising a casing, an outer cover for said casing, a powder tray within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, releasable means for locking said inner cover in closed position, said means comprising a catch engageable with said inner cover, resilient means normally holding said catch in position to engage said inner cover, and a depressible finger piece for releasing said catch, said nger piece being exposed on the outside of the casing and being arranged to be depressed only when said outer cover is in open position.

8. An article of the class described comprising a casing having an upright wall, an outer cover for said casing, a powder tray disposed within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, and releasable means for locking said inner cover in closed position, said means comprising a catch engageable with said inner cover, releasable means normally holding said catch in position to engage said inner cover, and a depressible nger piece for releasing said catch, said finger piece being juxtaposed to and in effect forming a part of said wall and being accessible for operation only when said outer cover is in open position.

9. An article of the class described comprising a casing having a side wall provided with a recess, an outer cover for said casing, a powder tray disposed within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, and releasable means for locking said inner cover in closed position, said means comprising a catch engageable with said inner cover, resilient means interposed between said tray and casing for holding said catch in position to engage said inner cover, and a depressible nger piece disposed in said recess to form in eiect a part of said side wall and operative' to release said catch only when said outer cover is open.

10. An article of the class described comprising a casing having a side wall provided with a recess in its upper edge, an outer cover for said casing, a powder tray disposed within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, and releasable means for locking said inner cover in closed position, said means comprising a catch engageable with said inner cover, resilient means interposed between said tray and casing for holding said catch in position to engage said inner cover, and a depressible finger piece disposed in said recess and operative to release said catch only when said outer cover is open, said nger piece being shaped to conform with the contour of said edge so as to present the appearance of being a part thereof.

11. A casing comprising a hinged inner cover, a hinged outer cover, a catch for releasably locking the inner cover in closed position, and a finger piece movable outwardly with relation to the casing for releasing the catch, said finger piece being exposed on the outside of the casing but guarded by the outer cover against accidental operation while the outer cover is closed.

WINFRED T. PARKIN. 

